SmPOP in live <i>S</i>. <i>mansoni</i> cleaves vasoregulatory hormones.

<p>(A) SmPOP activity detected in the excretory-secretory products of or associated with live NTS and adults (worms) maintained in culture was determined using the fluorogenic substrate Z-GP-AMC. The inhibitor, Z-Ala-Pro-CMK, was added in the control experiments to specifically block SmPOP activity. The mean values ± S`.D. of three replicates are normalized to the maximum value in each series. (B) The peptide hormones angiotensin I and bradykinin were incubated with recombinant SmPOP (<i>in vitro</i>) or with live adults maintained in culture (<i>ex vivo</i>). The reaction mixture and cultivation medium, respectively, were analyzed by mass spectrometry and cleavage positions (triangles) in the hormones were identified (see also <a href="http://www.plosntds.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pntd.0003827#pntd.0003827.s009" target="_blank">S3 Table</a>).